Premier League: Reading 2 Everton 1

Reading claimed their first Premier League win of the season on Saturday, coming from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in controversial circumstances.

Everton dominated proceedings throughout the first half at Madejski Stadium, opening the scoring after 10 minutes through Steven Naismith, but they failed to increase their lead and had two penalty shouts turned down.

Adam le Fondre pulled one back just after the break, however, and with the visitors going all out for the win the game became very open. With about 10 minutes remaining, Reading were awarded a penalty, after a foul on Le Fondre, and the striker tucked it away to hand his side their first victory of the season.

Moyes’ men did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, and they did not have to work that hard for it either – the Royals’ defence absolutely gifting them the opening goal.

Chris Gunter failed to rid the danger when his sliced clearance went up high and into his own box, then a mix-up between Kaspars Gorkss and Sean Morrison firstly allowed Marouane Fellaini to win the ball.

The hosts then half-cleared the danger, only for Nikica Jelavic to win it back and cross for the arriving Naismith – finding Gorkss and his defensive colleagues asleep once more.

Although Reading had a brilliant chance to level straight away, Le Fondre beating Tim Howard to a loose ball but lifting it over the bar as he tried to evade the men on the line, the rest of the first-half pressure all came from the visiting side.

Steven Pienaar nearly doubled the score, but dragged his right-footed shot wide, before Everton saw the first of two penalty appeals turned away. Gorkss slid in recklessly from behind on Naismith, getting none of the ball, but the referee waved play on.

The visitors continued to create openings, Leon Osman seeing a one-on-one saved by Adam Federici and Phil Jagielka having a glancing header cleared off the line, while they could have had another penalty when Jelavic’s drive struck Morrison’s hand, but for all their dominance the half ended 1-0.

After the break, however, Reading got themselves back into the game though Le Fondre. The forward rose the highest and got his head on the end of Nicky Shorey’s dangerous free-kick, beating Tim Howard with a thumping effort.

The game then become incredibly open. Thomas Hitzlsperger wasted a clear opening by allowing Sean Morrison to get back and block his effort, before the Everton man was then exposed at the other end by Roberts, who played in Le Fondre only for the Royals’ goalscorer to scuff it into Howard’s arms.

As the clash became more stretched, Le Fondre looked to be in on goal after a quick counter-attack but Seamus Coleman came out of nowhere to disposess him with a fantastic, goal-saving tackle.

The defender soon turned from hero to zero, though, as he conceded a penalty for a clumsy challenge from behind on Le Fondre, bundling the forward to the ground.

Reading’s number nine took it himself, sending Howard the wrong way and giving his side the lead and their first three points of the campaign.